23 February 2024
Newsdesk
This ain’t Texas! Beyoncé returns to Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart for the first time in 14 years today, proving the superstar is more culturally relevant than ever.
TEXAS HOLD ‘EM – one of two new tracks from Bey’s forthcoming RENAISSANCE Act II project – lassoes itself to the top of the Official Singles Chart, climbing eight places week-on-week.
It becomes Beyoncé’s sixth UK Number 1 single and first in 14 years, having last topped the charts in March 2010 on Lady Gaga’s Telephone. Prior to that, her last solo Number 1 came in the form of 2008’s If I Were A Boy.
TEXAS HOLD ‘EM also joins; Crazy in Love with Jay Z (2003), Déjà vu with Jay Z (2006) and Beautiful Liar with Shakira (2007). As a member of Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé also claims a further two UK Number 1s; Independent Women (2000) and Survivor (2001).
TEXAS HOLD ‘EM, a bold pivot into the country genre for the multi-hyphenate, also becomes the first country-influenced song to hit Number 1 in the UK since Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road in 2019, which mixed the genres of country and rap.
Dominant in the US but notoriously hard to break in the UK (genre staples like Shania Twain and Dolly Parton, for example, have never had a UK Number 1 single), country is undergoing something of a resurgence here, spearheaded by Beyoncé’s new Number 1. The likes of Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen gained UK Top 40 singles last year, while mainstream acts like Bey and Lana Del Rey have announced plans to make country records in the near future.
Just missing out this week at Number 2, breakthrough sensation Benson Boone soars to secure a new peak with Beautiful Things, and will be looking to score his first Number 1 in the coming weeks.
Dua Lipa’s energetic Training Season debuts at Number 4 as this week’s highest new entry and Dua’s 15th Top 10 single, while Ariana Grande’s yes, and? rebounds three to Number 7 following the release of a new remix featuring none other than Mariah Carey.
Emerging act DJO (aka Stranger Things star Joe Keery) celebrates his first-ever UK Top 20 single this week, with End of Beginning vaulting an extraordinary 89 places to Number 11. Last week, it became the actor-turned-singer’s first-ever Official Singles Chart entry.
Ella Henderson and Rudimental continue to rise with Alibi, now climbing three to reach a brand-new peak of Number 12 – is a Top 10 entry within sight?
Further down, Calvin Harris and Rag’n’Bone Man’s Lovers In a Past Life debuts at Number 19; it becomes Calvin’s 43rd Top 40 single, and Rag’n’Bone Man’s sixth.
Kygo & Ava Max crack the Top 20 for the first time together on Whatever (20), Good Neighbours’ debut single Home jumps four (30), and Michael Marcagi’s Scared to Start returns to its previous peak (31).
And finally, Colombia-born, London-raised MC and YouTuber Yung Filly gains his second UK Top 40 single today, as Grey climbs 19 places to Number 33.
